Wall structure



March 1 w. R. HESS 2,875,866

WALL STRUCTURE Filed April 25, 195'? IN VEN TOR.

WACTEZ 12. Hess United States Patent 2,875,866 WALL STRUCTURE Walter R. Hess, Union City, N. J. Application April 23, 1957, Serial No. 654,562

1 Claim. Cl. 18934) The present invention relates to a wall structure formed by panels and connectors joining adjacent panels together. An object of the present invention is to provide a wall structure which lends itself to the construction of metal truck and trailer bodies, tool sheds, garages, houses, and buildings of all types.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wall structure which is assembled from panels and connectors without using bolts or other fastening means and without drilling or welding, one which may be made in several sizes using a standard panel size, one which obviates the need for having panels of various widths in order to accommodate truck and trailer frames and which may be readily assembled and disassembled without the use of special tools by relatively unskilled mechanics.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wall structure for truck bodies or trailers in which the door openings may be altered as desired, one which is sturdy in construction and of simple structure, and one which is economical to manufacture and assemble.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wall structure according to the present invention in assembled condition;

Figure 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a connector used with the panels shown in Figure 1 to form the wall structure according to the present invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the wall structure is shown in Figure 1 and indicated generally by the reference numeral and comprises a series of panels 11, 12 and 13, for instance, arranged in longitudinal aligned relation.

Each of the panels 11 to 13, inclusive, has a first vertical leg 14 projecting perpendicularly from each end of the panel and the second leg 15 projecting inwardly of and perpendicularly from the free end of the first leg 14. The panels 11 to 13, inclusive, are arranged so that the legs 14 abut each other along their entire lengths with the legs 15 facing away from each other, as shown most clearly in Figure 2.

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A connector, designated generally by the reference numeral 16, embraces the abutting legs 14 and the associated legs 15 of the adjacent panel ends, the connector 16 embodying a web 17 and a pair of side flanges 18 and 19 which project in converging relation from the one side of the web 17. The converging ends of the side flanges 18 and 19 are spaced from each other and when the wall structure 10 is assembled, the abutting legs 14 of the adjacent panels 11, 12, or 13, extend through the space between the converging ends of the side flanges with the legs 15 abutting and bearing against the inner face of the web 17.

The connector 16 is thickened at the jointure point of each side flange 18 and 19 with adjacent end portion of the web 17 and is provided with a groove 20 receivingly anchoring the adjacent end portions of the legs 15 of the adjacent panels 11 to 13, inclusive.

The wall structure, according to the present invention, may be assembled by merely placing the panels 11 to 15, inclusive, upon a flat surface and inserting the legs 14 and 15 of the adjacent panels within one of the connectors 16, sliding the connector 16 to a position in which its ends are adjacent the upper and lower ends of the panels 11 to 13, inclusive. If it is desired, one end of the connector 16 may be closed by forming thereover a cover although not here illustrated.

The wall structures thus formed are rigid and selfsupporting, needing no other bracing and may be used in the construction of truck and trailer bodies, and other rigid structures, as desired.

What is claimed is:

In a wall structure, at least a pair of upstanding panels arranged in longitudinal aligned relation, each panel having a first vertical leg projecting perpendicularly from each end thereof and a second leg projecting inwardly of and perpendicularly from the free end of the first leg, the panels being arranged so that the first vertical legs abut each other along their entire length with the second vertical legs facing away from each other, and 'a connector embracing the abutting first legs and associated second legs of the adjacent panel ends, said connector embodying a web and a pair of side flanges projecting in converging relation from one side of said web, the converging ends of said flanges being spaced from each other, the abutting first legs of said panels extending through the space between the convergent ends of the side flanges with the associated second legs abutting and bearing against the inner face of said web, there being a groove at the jointure point of each of saidside flanges with the web, the adjacent end portions of the associated second legs being received in the groove for receivingly anchoring the adjacent end portions of the associated second legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

